Method of making envelopes



Aug- 2, 1966 H. A. ELLENBoGL-:N 3,263,576

METHOD OF MAKING ENVELOPES AT TOR N EYS Allg- 2, 1965 H. A. ELLENBOGEN3,263,576

METHOD OF MAKING ENVELOPES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Flled June 18, 1965 5N monSQ 6/ ./l/

AfrroRN EYs United States Patent O 3,263,576 METHOD F MAKING ENVELOIESHerbert A. Ellenbogen, Buttcrnut Drive, New City, N.Y. Filed June 18,1963, Ser. No. 288,743 1 Claim. (Cl. 93-61) The present inventionrelates to an envelope for holding packing lists or the like, and to amethod for forming such envelopes.

It is now recognized that it is desirable to ship goods with a packinglist attached to a container in which the goods are placed, the packinglist providing an inventory of the goods being shipped. To facilitatehandling of the goods when they are received, the packing list is placedon -the outside of a container, so that it may be consulted before thecontainer or containers is opened. Normally, the packing list isenclosed in an ordinary paper envelope of a relatively heavy grade,which is yattached to the container.

It has been found, however, that these paper envelopes have a great manydeficiencies, due to the usage to which they are put, and the conditionsof that usage. For example, the containers are often stored in a dimlylit Warehouse or ships hold, so that it is difficult to see theenvelope; this is particularly true when dust accumulates on them. Wherethe shipping container was subjected to moisture or water conditions,there was danger of deterioration of the packing list. Attachment of theenvelope t-o the outside of the container was diicult and timeconsuming, requiring the use of a stapling machine, glue or adhesivetape. Any of these was apt to result in damage to the packing list, sothat at least a part of it could not be read.

Also, it was not possible to see any of the writing on the packing list,which was often desirable, without removing the packing list from theenvelope.

Where containers were to be transported by ships, paper envelopes coatedwith pitch 'were used, to provide waterproof security for the packinglist. This overcame one of the noted disadvantages, but the others stillremained.

An object of the present invention is to provide an envelope for packinglists or the like which is readily visible innormally lighted, poorlylighted, or even dark locations.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an envelopewhich is waterproof so as to protect the contents thereof.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an envelopewhi-ch is readily and easily sealed.

A further `object of the present invention is the provision of anenvelope which is easily attached to a container, and does not requirethe use of auxiliary attaching devices or implements.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide anenvelope which will permit viewing of at least part of the contentsthereof.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of anenvelope meeting the desideratum set forth above and which may bereadily fabricated from economical and available material.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a methodfor making envelopes which is not only economical but which may bepracticed with inexpensive Patented August 2, 1966 materials Iwithoutrequiring specially constructed and expensive equipment.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from consideration of the followingspecification and `drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective View of a roll of film used in the practicing ofthe present inventive method and in the making of the envelope.

FIG. 2 is a view of a part of the film sheet shown in FIG. 1 afterprinting.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the film sheet after the application ofadhesive patterns.

FIG. 4 is a view showing backing paper applied to the film sheet.

FIG. 5 is an end view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view to an enlarged scale after the structure shown in FIG.4 has been slit.

FIG. 7 is a view showing the structure of the film strip after a portionIthereof has been folded, `and after heat sealing.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a view showing an individual envelope after it has beensevered from the strip shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. l0 is a perspective View, with parts partially peeled away, of theenvelope shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 1l shows an envelope in accordance with the present invention:applied to a container.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like or corresponding referencenumerals are used to designate like or corresponding parts throughoutthe several Views, there is shown in FIG. l a rolled-up sheet 20 ofthermoplastic film, such as polyethylene, which sheet has a fluorescentdye incorporated therein, the dye being indicated by the cross hatching.The dye or pigment may be applied to the film after extrusion, or may beincorporated with the plastic prior to extrusion.

The film sheet 20 is passed through a suitable printing mechanism sothat there are applied to the upper side thereof, as shown in FIG. 2, afirst series 21 and a second series 22 of legends, the two seriesextending linearly along thev film sheet 20. The legends in the series22 are inverted relative to the legends in series 21. As will be noted,the legends occupy zones which are spaced from each other and which arespaced inwardly from the edges of the film sheet 2t). Further, the zonescontaining the two series 21 and 22 are spaced from the center of thesheet 20.

After the printing of the legends, the sheet 2l) has three patterns ofself-adhering adhesive applied to the printed face thereof, the threepatterns of adhesive being designated 23, 24 and 2S. The patterns areparallel, and extend linearly of the film sheet 20. Patterns 23 and 25are relatively broad and lie along the edges of the sheet 20, whereaspattern 24 is relatively narrow and lies generally at the center of thesheet 20. In practice, the distance between the adjacent edges ofpatterns 23 and 24, that is, the nonadhesive zone with legend series 21,is approximately the same as the `width of pattern 23, and the sheet 2t)is generally symmetrical with respect to its center line.

After having the three adhesive patterns applied to it, backing paperstrips 26, 27 and 28 are applied over the adhesive patterns 23, 24 and25, respectively, these back- Ving paper strips being heavilycoatedlwith silicone, so

that the backing paper may be readily parted from the polyethylene filmwhen desired, The backing paper strips 26, 27 and 28 are shown in FIG. Sin their adhered and -overlying relationship with respect to the filmsheet 20.

The film sheet 2d as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is printed with ad-hesivepatterns and backing paper. It is then slit longitudinally at theapproximate center thereof so as to provide the structure shown in FIG.6, the basic film now being designated and referred .to as a film strip,since it is one-half its original width. There is also shown in FIG. 6the backing paper 26 and approximately one-half of the backing paperstrip 27, designated 27.

While the processing of the structure shown in FIG. 6 will be describedhereinbelow, it will be understood that the other strip, correspondingto strip 26', is similarly processed.

In FIG. 7, the film strip 20' has been folded linearly so that themarginal zone to which the adhesive pattern 23 had been appliedunderlies the zone containing the legend series 21. Thus, as will beseen from FIG. 8, the zone containing the printing and the zonecontaining lthe adhesive are in face to face relationship with eachother, the backing strip 26 being still joined to the zone containingthe adhesive pattern 23. Since the zone containing adhesive pattern 23.and the backing paper 26 are substantially equal in width to the zonecontaining the legend series 21, the outer edge of backing paper 26 willunderlie the inner edge of backing paper strip 27.

The two layers of film strip 20 are sealed together, as by heat sealingdevices, to provide transversely extending linear seals 29 and 30, whichare in spaced relation to each of the legends of the series. rThisthereby forms a strip 20 containing integrally joined envelopes havingends which are open, the open ends of the envelope lying just beneaththe inner edge of backing paper 27', yand being spaced therefrom. Eachenvelope may be seen to have a pair of generally rectangular wallsformed by a part of the zone containing legend series 21 and a part ofthe zone containing adhesive pattern 23. The walls are joined at t-hreesides, the fourth being open as above stated. rThe part of zone withpattern 24 underlying backing paper strip 27 forms a flap integral withthe wall formed -by part of the zone containing legend series 2.1.

The strip 20 is cut transversely at each of the heat seals or seams 29,30, etc., to provide individual envelopes. As will be understood, thesevering and sealing may take place either sequentially orsimultaneously, thereby providing the envelope 35 shown in FIG. 9.v

Referring to FIG. 10, the envelope is shown with the backing paper 26partially peeled away, and with t-he flap formed by the zone containingthe adhesive portion and with the portion of the film strip 20' 'havingthe backing paper 27 secured to it forming a flap 31 which has beenfolded over the open end or mouth of the envelope 35, to thereby closethe mouth to retain papers placed in the envelope. For purposes ofclarity, the backing paper strip Z7' is shown partially peeled Iawayfrom the flap 31.

In use, the envelopes 35 are supplied as shown in FIG. 9, and a packinglist is placed in the envelope through the open end or mouth thereof,and then the backing paper 26 is partially peeled, as shown in FIG. 10.The flap 31 is then folded over, so as to seal the open end of theenvelope, the adhesive which formed a part of pattern 23 securing theflap 31 in the closed position. The 'backing paper 27' is then peeled`from the ap 31, and it will be seen that the entire side of theenvelope facing Vthe viewer in FIG. l0 is coated with the selfadheringadhesive. The backing paper 26 is then removed and the envelope isplaced against a container 36, and is immediately secured thereto by theadhesive, as shown in FIG. 11.

As will be understood, the process may be practiced, also, by utilizinga single-width thermoplastic sheet, rather than a ldouble width one, asdescribed hereinabove. In that event the single width sheet will beprocessed to obtain a single film strip like the film strip 20 shown inFIG. 6.

Thus, the envelope is easily sealed, andis readily attached to acontainer. It is made of waterproof material, is readily visible becauseof the fluorescent dye, and because of the transparent nature thereofpermits viewing of the enclosed packing list.

There has been provided a method for fabricating envelopes, which methodutilizes readily available material and which does not require expensiveor unusual equipment to perform. The process is economical, therefore,both in material and equipment.

It will :be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention and thereforethe preceding description should be regarded as exemplary of the presentpreferred embodiments. Within the scope of modifications, for example,is the use of plastic material which does not have printing thereon, butwhich instead is free of printing and/ or specifically colored toindicate the contents of the envelope. Again, as will be appreciated,the width of the plastic sheet material used can be varied depending onthe processing equipment used, as well as on the particular ultimatesize of the final envelope used.

Bearing the above in mind,

What is claimed is:

The process for forming envelopes for packing lists or the likecomprising the steps of:

(l) providing a sheet of thermoplastic film;

(2) printing a first transversely spaced series of legends along onesurface of said film between the center and one side edge thereof;

(3) printing a second transversely spaced series of legends in invertedrelationship to said first series of legends along said one surface ofsaid lm between the center and the opposite side edge thereof;

(4) applying a first linearly elongated pattern of selfadhering adhesiveto the printed `surface of said film between said one side edge and saidfirst series of legends;

(5) applying a second linearly elongated pattern of self-adheringadhesive to the printed surface of said film between said rst and second`series of legends;

(6) applying a third linearly elongated pattern of self-adheringadhesive to the printed surface of said film between said second seriesof legends and said opposite side edge;

(7) providing backing paper strips having a coating on at least onesurface thereof;

(8) applying a backing paper strip over each of said adhesive patternswith said coated surfaces being oriented toward said self-adhering.adhesive to form a backed article;

(9) centrally -linearly dividing said backed article to form a pair ofsubstantially symmetrical strips, each having `an intermediate zone witha series of legends and a pair of marginal side zones having adhesivepatterns with 'backing paper strips applied thereto;

(l0) folding said strip containing said rst series of legends until saidfirst adhesive pattern underlies said first series of legends;

(1l) folding said strip containing said second series of legends untilsaid third adhesive pattern underlies said second series off legends;

(l2) transversely heat sealing each of said folded strips between eachof the legends in a series to seal the underlying portion of each foldedstrip to the overlying portion thereof and to thus convert each foldedstrip into `a series of interconnected envelopes each of which has oneopen end; and

Holmlund 93-63 XR Knuetter 93-35 Ribaco 229-80 Stein 93-35 Richmond229-80 FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

Ei e) (13) transversely severing each of said folded strips 2,224,513along each transverse heat seal to provide a plu- 2,265,075 rality ofindividual envelopes having one open end. 2,770,412

3,003,402 References Cited by the Examiner 5 3,070,280

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,636,495 7/ 1927 Widmaier 93--63 2,220,87411/1940 Waters 93--35 I. F. GARRETT, D. M. BOCKENEK, Examiners.

